Wayzata Schools Paraprofessional Deb Musser

Paraprofessionals, also known as educational assistants, make up a large part of today's public school education support staff. Patch is recognizing their efforts and all they do by spotlighting particiapting paraprofessionals from local school districts.

Name: Deb Musser

School: Greenwood Elementary School in Plymouth

Why did you become a para for the Wayzata School District?

Musser: "Upon graduating from college, I worked in various investment and marketing positions for 10 years at American Express in downtown Minneapolis. When my husband and I started our family, I became a stay-at-home mom and did a lot of volunteering at Oakwood Elementary when my children attended school there. One day, Trish Hill, Oakwood’s secretary, saw the posting for the Office Para position at Greenwood Elementary and recommended that I apply for the job. After interviewing and getting the job, my husband was excited that I would now get paid for spending so many hours at school! Being a para is the perfect 'mom job' as it allows me to be with my kids before they leave for school each morning and we all get done with school around the same time every afternoon."

What do you do as a para?

Musser: "My job entails a variety of things from greeting everyone as they arrive to Greenwood, helping students, parents and staff, general office work, creating bulletin boards, doing Greenwood’s weekly e-News to third grade lunch and recess supervision and giving school tours. I love the variety that my job offers every day!"

What are some misconceptions people have about paraprofessionals?

Musser: "I don’t think parents realize how much time para-educators spend in the classroom working  with students, both one-on-one and in a group setting. Paras do an incredible job assisting teachers in supporting student learning. Paras also help teachers by doing a variety of classroom projects in addition to doing lunch and recess supervision."

What are the biggest challenges of your job?

Musser: "The biggest challenge in my job is multitasking. I work on various projects and try to get everything done in a timely manner."

Why are paraprofessionals important and needed in education?

Musser: "The Wayzata School District is very fortunate to have so many paraprofessionals who support teachers by working with students. Some school districts can’t afford to have a lot of paras on their staff. I enjoy working with a great team of paras at Greenwood. Not only are we committed to helping students learn and do their best each day, but we also have formed great friendships with each other too!"